Kelly O'Brien spent 15 years climbing the corporate ladder while quietly navigating three years of IVF, 14 rounds of treatment, stage four endometriosis, pregnancy loss, and the emotional weight of holding it all together in a high-pressure, male-dominated industry.

Then, after an IVF procedure, she experienced a life-threatening medical emergency. Internal bleeding. Emergency surgery. Blood transfusions. Six days in ICU.

This is not a story about bouncing back.

It's about what happens when you stop trying to return to who you were and start building something more honest instead.

Kelly and I talk about what resilience actually looks like after real trauma, why emotional suppression is so common in high achievers, how she rebuilt her identity after her career and her body both broke down at the same time, and why the life she has now is more aligned than anything she had planned.

If you've been through burnout, a health crisis, fertility challenges, grief, or a major life change, and you're trying to work out who you are on the other side, this one's for you.

In This Episode:

🔸 What resilience really means after trauma.

🔸 Why “bouncing back” isn’t always the goal.

🔸 Kelly’s experience with IVF, endometriosis and pregnancy loss.

🔸 The emotional cost of hiding pain while leading others.

🔸 Corporate burnout and the pressure to appear strong.

🔸 How a near-death experience changed Kelly’s life.

🔸 Why trauma recovery is not linear.

🔸 The importance of finding the right psychologist or support person.

🔸 How movement, sauna, red light therapy, massage and connection helped Kelly rebuild.

🔸 Why sometimes healing means creating a completely new life.

Connect with Kelly:

Website: https://thisiselysium.com.au

IG: https://www.instagram.com/this_is_elysium_wellness?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Support the show

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